direct French · revision 38679

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=13th century|origins=la regō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /di.ʁɛkt/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''direct''' (feminine directe, masculine plural directs, feminine plural directes)^(Wiktionary)

+ In 1426 the phrase ''de ligne direcque'' “directly” is found in Douai.^(TLFi) Anglo-Norman also had ''directe'', ''direk'' and ''dirrect''.^(AND)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|dīrēctus|t=straight; without detour]], the past participle of [[m|la|dīrigō|t=to direct, steer]], the source of [[diriger]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|3, 90a) In Late Latin it also meant “without intermediary”.^(TLFi) The verb is formed with [[m|la|dis-]] on [[m|la|regō|t=to guide, rule]].^(GLLF 1989) The inherited outcome of the Latin word is [[droit]].^(Wiktionary)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ Cognate with [[pro|direct]], [[es|directo]] and [[it|diretto]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Godefroy's supplement has a 13th-century text, and the TLFi cites a manuscript of 1303–1334; the word was rare before the 16th century.^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) The Anglo-Norman Dictionary has it from 1292 with the senses “direct, directly” and, of descent, “in a straight line from father to son”.^(AND) Palissy (1563) uses ''direct'' in the concrete sense “in a straight line”.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The abstract sense “immediate, without intermediary” appeared first in law: in feudal law ''en directe'' (1450, short for ''seigneurie''), and ''action directe'' (about 1481), a phrase taken up recently in the context of terrorism.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) Genealogy has ''ligne directe'' from 1501, and the sense spread into common use in 1581, often of a frank person.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) Special uses followed in astronomy (1680, ''planètes directes''), in rhetoric (''harangue directe'', 1680, Richelet) and in finance: ''contribution directe'' (1790, Marat) and ''impôts directs'' (1829).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ In the 20th century it became a noun in boxing, ''un direct'' (1904, ''direct du gauche'', 1908).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007) In radio and television ''en direct'' qualifies a programme broadcast live, as opposed to ''en différé'' (1938).^(DHLF 1992)^(BHVF)^(Petit Robert 2007) Littré already records ''train direct'', a train taken to its destination without changing carriages.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 13th century – First record, according to Godefroy's supplement.^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 1292 – Earliest Anglo-Norman record.^(AND)

+ * 1450 – ''En directe'' in feudal law.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1481 – ''Action directe'', in Coquillart.^(TLFi)

+ * 1501 – ''Ligne directe'' in genealogy.^(TLFi)

+ * 1563 – ''Direct'' in Palissy.^(TLFi)

+ * 1680 – ''Harangue directe'' and ''planètes directes'', in Richelet.^(TLFi)

+ * 1790 – ''Contribution directe'', in Marat.^(TLFi)

+ * 1904 – ''Un direct'' in boxing.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ * 1938 – ''En direct'' in broadcasting.^(DHLF 1992)^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|straight]], without a detour: ''le chemin le plus direct'', ''un train direct'', a non-stop train.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Littré 1873)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Without circumlocution, [[m|en|frank]]: ''une question directe'', ''un homme très direct''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # Immediate, without an intermediary: ''vente directe'', ''en ligne directe'', in direct descent.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(finance)'' ''Impôts directs'': direct taxes.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(grammar)'' ''Complément d'objet direct'': a direct object, ''discours direct'', direct speech.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(boxing)'' A straight punch: ''un direct du droit''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # ''(broadcasting)'' ''En direct'': [[m|en|live]], ''le direct'', live broadcasting.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[directement]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[indirect]]

+ * [[direction]]

+ * [[directeur]]

+ * [[diriger]]

+ * [[droit]]

+ * [[la|dīrēctus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In colloquial French ''direct'' is also an adverb, “straight, directly”, as in ''je rentre direct à la maison'';^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary takes it from [[directement]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}